May
13
Some people claim inspiration from well-known figures in food history or current media. Although I’ve learned from Julia Child and Rachel Ray there is one woman who stands out in my humble experiences in the kitchen. My mama. Her creamy soups that she can’t recreate because she used leftovers, a recipe from her tattered Better Homes and Gardens cookbook and something she found online to create a one-time dinner. Her continual search for the best, softest, crustiest breads that she makes by hand. The inability to use a measuring up for anything but transferring ingredients from one receptacle to another. She grows her vegetables, raises her chicken and gathers her eggs. Butter is spread thick, and olive oil poured liberally. Known for her welcoming table and insistance that my visiting friends must “at least try” the kale smoothies and kiefer this lady is my inspiration.
Mom requested molten chocolate cakes for her Mother’s Day dessert. I hadn’t made these in quite some time and was excited to pull the old recipe out. This time I swapped out 2 T of flour for 2 T of cocoa for a more chocolatey flavor and added a tad of salt. I used the full 1 c. of powdered sugar, but next time I think I will cut it back to 3/4c. or just use unsweetened chocolate with the full amount of sugar. They were just a tad too sweet for me, but this is coming from the girl who likes the taste of baking chocolate and drinks unsweetened mochas…Regardless of my biased opinion, these are amazing and incredibly easy to make. I made the batter ahead of time and popped them in the oven 15 minutes before we wanted to have dessert. These are perfect for entertaining, as they can be poured into ramekins the day before and baked right after dinner. Whip up some fresh cream beforehand, and serve them hot out of the oven.
4 ounces of chocolate.
4 ounces farm-fresh butter.
melt on low heat.
1 c. powdered sugar
whisked into chocolate+butter
2 eggs + 2 yolks
4 T flour
2 T cocoa
mix well.
I like using a handy dandy ice cream scoop to portion the batter.
First time using these snazzy red ramekins mom bought a while back. You can pop them in the fridge now, and bake them right before you want dessert.
Essential side : chocolate dipped strawberries
Please do this for your own good : very, very lightly sweetened real whipped cream. The cakes are so sweet on their own the cream helps balance the sugar. I like mine with a little coarse ground salt as well.
Trick learned from la mama : chill the beaters in the freezer before whipping cream.
ta-da! freshly pulled out of the oven.
Molten Chocolate Cakes
- 4 ounces Semi Sweet Chocolate
- 4 ounces Butter
- 1 c. Powdered Sugar
- 4 T Flour
- 2 T Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- 1/8 tsp Salt
- 2 Eggs
- 2 Egg Yolks
Melt butter and chocolate on low heat in a medium saucepan, whisking until smooth. When completely melted whisk in powdered sugar, then flour, cocoa and salt. Combine thoroughly. Stir in eggs and yolks and mix until smooth. Divide batter into 5-6 buttered ramekins and bake @ 425 for 13-15 minutes. Do NOT over bake. I repeat: do NOT over bake. Keep an eye on these little suckers because an extra minute can turn a smooth and rich lava cake with a molten center into a plain ole’ brownie. I’ve done it. I prick them with a toothpick, you want it to come out clean along the edge and runny in the center. Serve with freshly whipped cream, barely sweetened with a teaspoon or so of powdered sugar.
